Toy pistol



m 3, 1945 v w. LAWSON, sR 2,408,984

TQY PISTOL Filed May l0, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY PISTOL William E. Lawson, Sr., Rahway, N. J.

Application May 10, 1944, Serial No. 534,936

4 Claims.

This invention relates to toy pistols or catapults for shooting a -toy aeroplane or other projectile into the air, and has for its primary object to provide a simple and inexpensive article of this type and yet 011e which is highly effective in accomplishing the desired results. K

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to produce a .toy pistol from folded carboard, so that the article is of extremely low cost and of light weight so as to be easily handled and operated by a small child.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a toy pistol in which pivoted triggers and the like are eliminated, thereby greatly reducing the cost of material as Well as labor costsV in assembling, etc.

A still further object of the invention consists in forming a toy pistol from a cardboard blank, the blank being provided with a readily operable flap for removably holding a rubber band or a similar propulsion element in association with the forward end of the pistol.

A further object of the invention resides in providing in the handle of the pistol a slidable trigger for holding the projectile and its ejecting means in retracted position ready for ring Another object of the invention consists in the use in a toy pistol of a sliding trigger provided with lugs or ears for engaging and releasably holding the plane or other projectile in firing position.

Yet another object of Ithe invention consists in providing a trigger of folded .cardboard and one which is adapted to provide a storage space or magazine for a plurality of the toy aeroplanes or other articles intended for use as projectiles.

Other objects and advantages of the -invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure l is a perspective view of the toy pistol with one of the projectiles in position for ring.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the disclosure of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the trigger or controlling member for the projectile; and

Figure 6 is a plan view of two of the Itypes of projectiles which may be used with the toy pistol.

Referring to the drawing in more detail, the numeral I indicates the body of the piston which may be formed from a single blank of cardboard or other sheet material. The blank is folded to form a barrel portion 2 and a'handle 3, both of rectangular form. Each of these parts may be suitably decorated to minimize the angular appearance and thus more nearly simulate the design of a conventional pistol.

As will appear from an inspection of Figures 1 and 2, the folded panels of the barrel may be held in set-up position by the integral .tabs or tongues 4 formed on an edge of the blank and inserted in :corresponding slots in the opposite edge thereof. The forward end of the barrel is formed by an integral end section 5 provided with a tapered locking tongue 6 which is inserted between the forward ends of the overlapping flaps' 'I and 8 of the barrel of the pistol. The end sec tion 5 is provided With an opening 5' in simulation of the bore of an ordinary pistol, and this section serves as an anchoring means for a rubber band or the like 9 which is employed as the means for projecting the toy aeroplane or other projectile from the pistol. It will be understood of course that a broken or worn-out band may readily be replaced by withdrawing the friction nap 6 and passing a new band over the end section 5.

In lieu of the fastening tabs 4, wire stitches I may be employed for securing the flaps 'I and 8 of the barrel, or these stitches may be used as supplementing the tabs 4.

As indicated above, the handle of the pistol is also formed by folding a portion of the same blank which forms the barrel 2. To this end overlapping pairs of aps II and I2 are carried by the side panels I3 and I4 of the handle and these aps may be secured in position by integral tabs I5 inserted in corresponding slots in the blank, or by wire stitches I6, or by both. The upper end of the handle 3 is open to provide for the movement of the trigger member, etc., as will appear hereinafter, and this opening may be provided by bending down a tongue or panel I'l which closes the inner end of the barrel 2 and forms an 'internal brace or reinforcement for the handle 3.

The side panels I3 and I4 of the handle are provided with rearwardly and downwardly inclined finger slots I8, which allow .the ringer used in ring the pistol to follow a path somewhat similar to the path traveled by .the operators 3 within the handle 3 of the pistol. Lugs or tabs are cut from that portion of the blank forming the top panel 2| of the trigger, and when the side panels 22 and 23 are bent downwardly to form the box-like construction these lugs will stand erect as indicated. Overlapping flaps 24 and 25 are formed on the side panels 22 and 23, and a closure 26 provided with a locking tongue 21 is provided for the lower end of the trigger so that the latter may be used as a storage chamber for projectiles for shipping purposes and the like.

The side panels 22 and 23 are provided with circular openings 28 adapted to receive a nger of the operator in iring the pistol, and as mentioned above, the inclined slots I8 in the handle will permit the finger to travel a path somewhat similar to that followed in operating a conventional pistol.

The projectiles intended to be used with the toy pistol may be formed from sheet material such as cardboard and are preferably designed to present the appearance of aeroplanes as indicated by numeral 29, although cardboard discs such as designated by the numeral 3l! may also be employed. Regardless of the particular shape of the projectile however, it is provided with` a pair of slots or notches 3| or 32 to receive the lugs 20 on the trigger member I9, and a notch 33 which forms a seat for the rubber band when the projectile is placed in position for firing As will be noted from an inspection of Figures 1, 2 and 3, the upper end of the trigger member I9 extends slightly above the top of the handle when the pistol is loaded, and the upper end of the member I9 thus forms a seat for the projectile when it is drawn backwardly against the tension of the rubber band 9 and positioned with the lugs 20 extending through the slots 3I or 32. By depressing the trigger in the manner heretofore indica-ted, the lugs 2B will be drawn downwardly to disengage the slots or notches in the projectile and the rubber band Elv will impart a rapid forward movement to the aeroplane causing it to sail through the air in simulation of an actual aeroplane for a very substantial distance.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be apparent that I have devised an exceedingly simple and inexpensive construction of toy pistol in simulation of an aeroplane catapult; thatvv the pistol is formed in its entirety by the simple folding of two cardboard stampings and inserting one of the folded elements within the other; that the pistol is red by a simple sliding movement of one of the elements within the other, thus eliminating the expense involved in assembling and fitting pivotal elements such as are ordinarily employed in devices of this general type; that the construction is such as to permit the ready substitution of a new rubber band when required; that the entire device is so simplified that it may be easily and quickly operated by those for whom it is intended; and that this simplified construction reduces to a minimum the possibility of the device being rendered inoperative by ordinary usage.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I now believe to be the preferred form of construction of the invention, but inasmuch as various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, it is intended that all such changes be included within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimedis:

1. A toy pistol comprising a barrel and a han.- dle, both the barrel and handle being hollow and rectangular in cross section and formed of folded Sheet material, a trigger member rectangular in cross section and having a sliding t in the hollow handle, and means on the upper end of the trigger member for releasably holding a projectile.

2. A toy pistol comprising a barrel and a handle, both the barrel and handle being hollow and rectangular in cross section and formed of folded sheet material, a hollow trigger member rectangular in cross section and formed of folded sheet material, said rectangular trigger member having a sliding t within the rectangular handle, and means on the upper end of the trigger member for releasably holding a projectile.

3. A toy pistolcomprising a barrel and a hanm dle, both the barrel and handle being hollow and rectangular in cross section and formed of folded sheet material, a hollow trigger member rectangular in cross section and formed of folded sheet material, said rectangular trigger member having a sliding t within the rectangular handle, means for holding a projectile for release by sliding movement of the trigger member, and the handle and trigger member having aligned openings for finger operation of the trigger member.

4. A toy pistol comprising a, barrel and a handle, both the barrel and handle being hollow and rectangular in cross section and formed of folded sheet material, a trigger member rectangular in cross section and having a sliding nt within the hollow handle for up and clown movement, the top of the trigger member being substantially flat to support a projectile, means on the trigger member for holding the projectile for release by downward sliding movement of the trigger member, an elastic band for ejecting the projectile, and a flap at the forward end of the barrel, said ilap being foldable across the front end of the barrel for anchoring the elastic band.

WILLIAM E. LAWSON, Se; 

